Underfoot
by Darley1101
Summary: Control freak Izzie Stevens thinks she has life all planned out until she receives a phone call that changes everything. Now she has a pair of match making lesbians trying to pair her up with a baby daddy that makes her feel out of control!
1. Forward

Dear Readers,

You are probably wondering why you're reading a forward rather than the first chapter of Underfoot. The answer to that question is rather simple. There are a few things you need to know before reading this story. The first is I owe my friend Tatiana a great big thank you for coming to me with this idea and for staying on top of me about writing it. I believe in giving credit where credit is due and this idea came from her. I hope I am able to tell the story as she envisioned it. The second is I am taking a lot of liberty with the legal and medical aspects of this story. While I am friends with doctors and lawyers I am not going to ask them to take time from their busy schedules to answer my silly fan fiction questions. Nor am I going to try to muddle my way through the text books. I am sure you all understand! I am however going to try to stay as close to reality as possible. Thirdly, there will be chapters of this story that are from the point of view of characters I have made up. This might sound odd to you right now, but after you read the first chapter I am sure you will agree that using them was the best route. Don't worry you will learn quite a bit about the main characters in those chapters. In fact, you will probably learn more with me writing them this way than if you were to read a chapter that was from Izzie or Alex or another main's point of view.

The fourth thing I want to address before we start this story is that it is completely alternate universe. Izzie has never had cancer and mom's name is Addison, not Robbie. George is still very much alive and very much gay. Alex's father wasn't an abusive musician and he has a house full of sisters! One of those sister's is his twin, Arizona. Their connection is a key part of this story. In fact, you could say the storyline is dependant on how close they are. You see Arizona wants a child that looks like her and her wife Callie. As you know, two women cannot create a child. Enter her twin brother and fertility specialist Dr. Richard Webber. Also using Dr. Richard Webber to have a baby without the hassle of a man is Izzie. Like Arizona and Callie, she has turned to someone she is close to and can count on: her gay best friend George. About now you are probably grumbling, thinking to yourself that you want an Alex and Izzie baby, not a Callie and Alex baby or a George and Izzie baby. Relax. Callie's psycho ex-girlfriend Erica works as a nurse for Dr. Webber and she gets the ultimate revenge by swapping sperm samples. If you want to know the full story you're going to have to stay tuned and read!

Much Love,

C.


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

_How To: Salvage A Bad Day_

Anger that stemmed more from annoyance than actually being upset with someone pounded through Rebecca's veins as she jabbed a key into a lock her landlord should have replaced ages ago. Without even having to fully turn it, the flimsy pressed wood door opened and she gained access to her tiny, but comfortable apartment. It wasn't much but it was her's. That was something. And it looks fantastic, she thought smugly, as she set down a plastic bag full of bargain bin material, glue sticks, and some flowers she had found in the clearance aisle. It really did. The transformation her horrible little hole in wall apartment had gone through over the last six months was nothing short of amazing. When she had moved in the walls had been a dingy off white, the hardwood floors covered with pet urine stains, and her meager pieces of furniture had definitely seen better days. She had hated it. Hated, hated, hated it! Nobody wanted to live that way. Unless they had to; and Rebecca definitely had to. The moment the stick turned positive her parents had kicked her out and her boyfriend had vamoosed. A nineteen year old pregnant waitress couldn't afford to be picky and when she had seen an ad for a furnished apartment with cable and internet for $150 a week she had jumped on it. At first she had thought she had made a huge mistake. Nobody in their right mind wanted to live in a place so awful even cockroaches refused to take up residency. And then it happened. A late night attack of insomnia and trolling had led her to watching how to videos, which led her to finding thehowtogirl.

There wasn't anything thehowtogirl couldn't do. From covering walls with fabric and ribbon using only starch to revamping a frumpy wardrobe with only ten dollars to cooking up favorite dishes from scratch, thehowtogirl, better known to her friends and family as Izzie, knew how to do it. And if she didn't know how to do something she figured it out. What Rebecca loved the most about Izzie was all her projects were reasonable and all the dishes she made were recipes Rebecca was capable of making. It became a daily ritual to check for new videos from thehowtogirl. Sometimes the videos consisted of projects she wanted to do or recipes she wanted to make, other times she just enjoyed watching the pretty blonde craft and cook. Tonight she was in the mood for a project though and if Izzie hadn't uploaded a new project she would find an older one. Anything to keep her hands busy as she sorted through her mixed up thoughts on keeping her baby or giving it up for adoption.

Letting out a sigh, Rebecca settled herself in front of the laptop that was set up on an old trunk that doubled as storage and a coffee table. Another tip she had taken from thehowtogirl. Her whole apartment was a tribute, really. She let out a small chuckle at that thought. Maybe she should use her cell phone to make a video montage to post on Izzie's page. Or maybe not, she thought. She wasn't going to be the creepy stalker fan who posted video responses, no matter how much she admired the beautiful stranger who taught her how to make her pathetic apartment livable.

"Interesting title," she murmured, when she found that Izzie had, indeed, uploaded a new video. Like always the title included the words How To. What threw Rebecca was the _how to salvage a bad day_. It wasn't like the unknown woman to have such a mundane title. She liked to keep things perky, upbeat, and fun.

_There were dark circles under the usually radiant blonde who sat cross legged in the middle of a full sized bed. Her long hair was piled on top her head in haphazard fashion as she stared at the webcam in front of her. "So," she drawled, her voice sounding hollow, "I had this really great video planned for today. Easy apple pie, along with a few tricks on making your dinner table look fab. The thing is, after the day I've had, I'm not really in the mood to bake or make an old bed sheet into a table cloth. I'm not even sure I'll be ready for those things tomorrow." Her chest heaved a bit as she visibly inhaled and let out a shuddering breath. She tucked her lip between her teeth, as though she was debating on telling her audience what was going on. She inhaled again, her fingers digging into the fabric of her yoga pants. Whatever she was about to say was huge. "As some of you know from my last couple videos I'm going to have a baby. What you don't know is that I…well…I guess there is no easy way to say it so I'll just say it! I had my best friend George donate his sperm so I could have a baby because I am so sick of waiting for the right guy to come along. What if he never comes? Am I suppose to just not have kids? I don't think so!" _

Rebecca leaned back, worming her way into the pile of pillows that lined the back of her otherwise uncomfortable futon. It was rather interesting that someone who was only four years older than her was tired of waiting on the right guy. Twenty-three was still young. Plenty of time to find someone and start a family. Apparently not in Izzie's book though. Nope, thehowtogirl, had done what she did best and took matters into her own hands. So why does she look so miserable, Rebecca wondered. Was she having regrets? Did her friend who donated his sperm have regrets?

"_I guess the why behind it is sort of irrelevant. The important thing is I'm pregnant and I don't have a clue who the father is. See, some nurse at the clinic we used mixed up George's…sperm up with someone else's… sperm." The way she halted over the word 'sperm' would have been comical if the situation wasn't so serious. The way her lips twitched said she thought so as well. "It kind of ironic, really, because the whole reason I asked George to be a pal and help a girl out is because the idea of having a baby with a stranger freaked me out. Yet, here I am, having a baby with a man I don't know. Which, apparently, goes against some bull shit moral clause the paper has. So. There you go. My crap day in a nutshell. I'm knocked up by some stranger because of a careless nurse and because of that I'm now unemployed. If it wasn't my life I would laugh. Seriously, who has crap like that really happen to them!" She let out a sigh and shifted around, the bed creaking beneath her. "On second thought, maybe I should bake. Nothing like some apple pie to make a girl feel better. Be on the look out for a more upbeat video. And thanks for letting a girl vent!" _

"Well, baby, it looks like someone else's life is more screwed up than ours!" Patting her stomach, Rebecca waited for the baby within to move. Right on cue a tiny foot pushed against her palm. A sad smile flittered across her lips. What to do, what to do. If only thehowtogirl had a video on how to make up your mind, Rebecca mused as she stood and stretched. Even if Izzie's latest video blog had been contained more personal information that Rebecca would have liked, it had made her face one very important fact: as bad as her life seemed at the moment there was always someone else who's life was even more messed up!


	3. Chapter Two

Author's Note: Being an author is sometimes frustrating. Things can seem clear in a story and most of the readers will seem to get it but there is always a handful who don't. I am not trying to be mean but please, PLEASE read the forward! I specifically mention that there will be chapters where I use characters I have made up. Rebecca is one of those characters. I think you will like this chapter more than the last one. It is much longer, has characters we know and love. The ending is a bit meh but over all I love where this chapter went!

On another note, if you have not checked out my other story There All Along take a moment to do so! It is really light hearted, fun, and soon to be full of hotness!

Chapter Two

_How To: Make New Plans _

Having an emotional breakdown and blubbering about her problems on the internet was not Izzie Stevens' proudest moment. Stay professional at all times had been her mantra. Until it wasn't. Something about having Dr. Webber tell her that the baby she carried didn't belong to her best friend George but to some unknown man named Alex Karev had thrown her for a loop. Paired with her boss telling her that having a baby out of wedlock conflicted with the moral clause in her employee contract had made her snap. One moment she had been calmly accepting the hand fate had dealt her, the next she was uploading a video where she told all of cyberspace just how messed up her life was. No, it definitely hadn't been her proudest moment. She had toyed with deleting the video. Any other person would have. Or, she thought, maybe not. The reason for leaving the vlog up had been simple: that moral clause was unfair! She had worked for the Springdale Times for two years; first as an intern and then as their How To columnist. Two years of putting her whole heart into a job only to get canned because she decided to have a baby on her own. What really pissed her off was she knew for a fact that Jodie in Sports had gotten pregnant after a one night stand. Had she been fired? Nope. It had been poor Jodie, getting pregnant and not knowing how to contact the father. When she had brought that to her former boss' attention he had retorted with Jodie's pregnancy had been an accident while Izzie's had been intentional. What that had to do with anything was beyond Izzie. All she knew was her life was slowly crumbling around her and all she had to cling to was the fact that she was going to be a mother.

Letting out a sigh, she tugged on the hem of her skirt and wondered if maybe she shouldn't have chosen something more professional than the white eyelet sundress and silver sandals she had on. Meeting the father of her child, as well as the woman who would be having George's baby and her life partner seemed rather ridiculous. Even more ridiculous was the fact that the other woman was partially to blame. From what George had been able to dig up, Callie Torres had been involved with Erica Hahn, the nurse who had "accidentally" mixed up their sperm samples. The break up had been nasty and there had been plenty of hurt feelings. While there was no proof, George was fairly certain the mix-up had been on purpose; a way of sticking to Callie for breaking up with her for Arizona Karev. Apparently, Arizona and Callie were now married and sharing the last name Robbins. The father of the bay Izzie carried was Arizona's twin brother Alex Karev. Dr Alex Karev. George had been a little too giddy about that detail. Izzie didn't care if the guy was a tow truck driver. He had no place in her life. None of these people did. And the first chance she got to tell them that she would!

"You're late," George chided when he seen her walking toward him. So what if she was late? Her life was in ruins and she had embarrassed herself online. She was allowed to be a little late. Not to mention, the restaurant they had all agreed to meet at notoriously stayed busy. Even with reservations it was almost impossible to get in on time.

"Five minutes, Georgie. Five minutes." She waved him off and stopped a few feet from him, her dark gaze wandering over her best friend. He had dressed rather conservatively, at least for him. In fact, she mused as she took in the hot pink and white stripped button down and dark washed jeans, he looked almost straight. Almost, because there was no way a straight guy would have spiked their bangs with pink and purple glittery gel. At least none of the straight guys Izzie knew. "Besides, you're lucky I even came." She understood why George was so insistent on knowing these people. They were going to be raising his child. She, on the other hand, was going to be raising her baby on her own. Just like she planned before the whole mess with mixed up sperm samples, hypocritical bosses, and cyber embarrassments. The baby nestled in her womb was the only bright spot in her life right now and she was not going to share.

George shook his head, disappointment etched on his feature. "Don't make this situation any harder than it already is, okay? None of us wanted this but it happened. There is nothing we can do."

There had been the abortion option. Dr. Webber had offered to perform the procedure for free and to foot the bill for another round of artificial insemination. For a split second she had considered it. And then she realized that no matter how messed up the situation was or much she wished things weren't so complicated, none of that was the baby's fault. "I'm not trying to make things harder. And I know there's nothing we can do to change what happened. Which is why I don't see why I have to be here. It doesn't matter if who this baby's father is, my plans haven't changed." She hoped her voice sounded more sure than she felt. This whole thing had really thrown her for a loop. She could claim her plans hadn't changed but truthfully she didn't know how the father was going to react. Maybe he was going to want to be a part of the child's life. In the long run, she knew that if that was the case there wasn't much she could do to prevent it. All he had to do was go to court and petition for shared custody. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought and once again she felt the turmoil of anger and fear bubbling in her gut. She wasn't going to break down. Not again. Not here. Not right before she met the other people involved in this whole fiasco.

"Your plans suck." The sensor in his voice wasn't lost on her. They never agreed on how life should be lived. George was a day by day kind of guy. He didn't spend much time worrying about the future or planning for it. Izzie was the opposite. Every little detail of her life was mapped out. Or it had been. Losing her job and having someone other than George father her baby put a real kink in everything. She would have to sit down and regroup.

"My plans don't suck. You just hate that you can't come up with plans that are equally brilliant!" She was hoping the gentle teasing would help ease the tension that was wrapped around them. As nervous as she was, she knew George was more so. He had counted on the baby as the perfect way to get his mother off his back about settling down. Like Izzie he hadn't met the right person and wasn't going to settle just to make his mother happy.

"No. I'm pretty sure most of your plans suck. Like that time you thought it would be cool to make your own stationary. Remember how gross and clumpy that crap was?" The good natured ribbing relaxed her a bit as they made their way toward the entrance of the bistro Arizona and Callie Robbins had chosen. It wasn't a place Izzie frequented. For two reasons. One, it the wait was always longer than she wanted to wait; and two it cost more than what she was willing to pay. George had assured her that _Dr. _Karev was footing the bill. A tiny part of her was just as impressed as George that the other sperm donor was a doctor. Hopefully the baby was smart enough to pull off medical school. Not that she wanted her child to be a doctor, but it would be nice if they had the intellectual option.

"It was an experiment, Georgie, not a plan. Besides, you were pretty stoked yourself about making your own stationary. What was it you said? Oh. Yeah. Oh. M. Gee. Isobel we could totally personalize it and nobody would ever have it but us!" Rolling her eyes, she waited for George to open the restaurant's beveled glass doors. It felt good to joke around, even though she knew that at any moment the mood would turn serious. She was right. The second they entered the dimly lit interior of Rigsby's they were greeted by a cautious looking blonde with the bluest eyes Izzie had ever seen and a dark haired beauty who seemed to exude life. Arizona and Callie Robbins. Noticeably missing was one Alex Karev. Izzie didn't know if she should be relieved or pissed off. It would be nice to be pissed, she mused. She didn't get the chance to decide what she felt because Arizona excused her brother's tardiness by explaining that he had a work related emergency. It was hard to be pissed at a doctor for running late due to a work emergency, Izzie thought with a sigh.

Silently, the foursome let a cheery waiter named Timothy lead them to a private dining room. Instantly, Izzie started making mental notes. It was a habit she had developed since starting her how to vlog. Anytime she seen an interesting décor she studied it and then started mentally mastering how to achieve the same look…for a whole lot less. The textured walls were nothing more than painted over burlap, she mused. And the twinkling lights above the bay window were Christmas lights. A cheap but effective way to dress up a window for next to nothing, she thought with a silent chuckle as she took the seat closest to George. She had hoped for one of the other women to sit on her other side but she had no such luck. Which meant she would be stuck sitting next to Alex when he finally arrived. The idea left her nauseated.

"You know, I've spent the last twenty four hours thinking about what I was going to say to you guys. There doesn't seem to be any right words for something like this though." The uncertainty in Callie Robbins voice eased some of the fear mounting in Izzie. It helped to know she wasn't the only one confused and unsure of how to proceed. "I know if you're anything like Arizona and me you've talked about whether or not you want to sue the clinic."

They hadn't talked about it, but Izzie had thought about it. Erica Hahn had screwed up their lives. Her act of revenge had altered all their lives. If given the chance Izzie would ask her if it had been worth it. Whether or not they sued the clinic, Erica had lost her nursing license. Most likely some sort of charges would be filed against her as well. "I've thought about it and as tempting as it is to sue the clinic I don't really hold them responsible." She bit her tongue to keep from saying more. Before meeting the pair Izzie had been prepared to put the full brunt of blame on them. After meeting them, seeing them warring with the same confusion, pain, and torture that she felt, she no longer felt that way. Yes Callie had broken up with Erica for Arizona but people broke up every day. Normal people did not switch out sperm samples to get even.

"They owe us something," George muttered. He was all for suing the clinic. Principal, not money, he had told her. They had been careless. Izzie hadn't seen the point in reminding him that the doctor had trusted his nurse, Erica, to bring him the right specimens.

"What Georgie? What do they owe us? They offered to 'correct' the situation and we all declined. They're going to foot our medical bills. They reported the nurse to the State Board. What more do they owe us? A public apology? No thank you. I don't know about you but I don't want my life flooded with nosy reporters or money hungry lawyers. The less people that know about this, the better." Which was why she had taken down her last video. The last thing she wanted was for her child, or the child Callie carried, to stumble across some article or vlog or report, where they were labeled as a mistake. No child should have to bear that burden, she thought sadly. It was a burden she herself bore. Her mother barely admitted to being a mother. Most of the time she let people think she and Izzie were sisters. And most of the time Izzie let her. It was easier than stirring up a fight where her mother droned on and on about her childhood ending because she'd gotten pregnant with Izzie when she was fifteen. Reminding her that it wasn't Izzie's fault did no good. Addison Montgomery wasn't just self centered, she was stubborn. Once her mind was made up, it was made up. Izzie never knew if her mother was aware of how awful she had made her daughter feel and at this point in the game Izzie didn't care. She just knew she wasn't going to do that to her child. "We can't just think about ourselves. There are two babies involved here too. What we do now will effect them when they get older."

"Ooh, listen to you, Miss Grown Up!" George chuckled. His chuckle gave way to a sigh as he let her words digest. "You're right of course. Just doesn't seem fair that our lives are all messed up and they get off with only having to pay a few medical bills." His voice had become a little shrill. A warning that he was on the verge of a dramatic fit. Biting back a groan, Izzie slid down in her seat as he let loose. Her loosing her job. How the baby would have gotten his mom off his back about never having grandchildren. His heart just being broken because he would never be a father.

"Is he always like this?" The low, sensual whisper sent a shiver down Izzie's spine as the empty chair next to her was occupied by a man who looked more like an underwear model than a doctor. It was on the tip of her tongue to say he could play doctor with her anytime. She refrained. This guy wasn't someone she could just pick up and play with; not that she had ever done anything like that. She had never met a man like the one next to her though and if she had met him at a bar or a club there was a good chance she would have invited him back home.

"Most of the time," Izzie admitted, her fingers shaking as she reached for the glass of water a waiter had placed in front of her only a moment before. "Something has to set him off though."

"And there has been plenty to set him off," Alex finished for her. He twisted in his chair and motioned for the waiter to come over. "We're ready to order." Without giving much thought to whether or not everyone else was ready he asked for a double cheeseburger with bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and both mayo and mustard with a side of onion rings.

Blinking, Izzie stared at him. It took a second for her to realize he was ordering for himself, not her. It was a little embarrassing to ask for the same when the waiter turned to her. When she heard George let out a small giggle she kicked him. "Just give me a chef salad with ranch," George grunted when the waiter asked what he would like. "No eggs or carrots though! And make sure the dressing is on the side. In a cup. Not the side of the salad. Oh, and make sure its light ranch. Ooh. Wait. Do you have bleu cheese?"

Ten minutes later, once all the ordering was done, Izzie found herself stealing glances at the father of her baby. It was a little comical to think of him that way. He was a stranger to her. A hot, sexy stranger she wouldn't have minded creating a baby with the old fashioned way. Heat crept into her cheeks as he caught her staring and raised a brow. "We've all decided that we're not going to sue," she blurted out. "It seems kind of pointless, you know? Especially when there are more important things to think about. Like the babies. We really have to figure out…." Her voice trailed off when George gently elbowed her in the side. She was babbling. Great. Not only had she stared, she had followed it up by babbling. The man probably thought she was a moron. Which was perfect really since she felt like one. "I'm sorry. I tend to babble when I'm upset and this whole thing is just…it doesn't seem real. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up or someone is going to jump out of some corner and yell gotcha!"

Silence wrapped around them as they all silently agreed. It didn't seem real. In their lives things like this were movie plots. They weren't in a movie though and the situation they found themselves in wasn't a plot. It was real. "It's a nightmare," Callie agreed, her dark eyes shining with unshed tears. "And it feels like its my fault."

George shook his head. His hand slid across the table to grab her's. "Girl, only person to blame is Nurse Evil."

Nurse Evil. Izzie bit back a laugh. She couldn't believe George had actually said it! When they first learned what happened he had dubbed Erica Hahn as Nurse Evil. "He's right. If anyone is to blame, its Erica Hahn."

"See. I told you they didn't blame you," Arizona whispered. Her arm wrapped around her wife's quivering shoulders as she murmured words only Callie could hear. That's what I want, Izzie thought. Against her better judgment she spared another look in Alex's direction. Once again he caught her. This time instead of a raised brow she got a dimpled grin. Dimples. Her stomach did a small flip flop. Would the baby have dimples? Wouldn't that be delish! She loved fat little babies with dimples. The icing on the cake would have been big blue eyes but the more she studied his hazel ones the more she realized hazel was better than blue. More mysterious.

Clearing his throat, Alex folded his arms and rest them on the edge of the table. "I think we all agree that Erica is to blame, Call. Right now our main focus needs to be figuring out what we're going to do as far as the babies are concerned. This whole thing has altered whatever plans any of us have made. Which means we need to make a new one." His words seemed to echo what she had been attempting to say. It amazed her how different her feelings were now that she had met them. Now that she had met him. Meeting him, hearing him say they had to put the children first, broke through her resolve to raise the baby on her own. George would have been a fun uncle but a father? Not really. That was why she had chosen him. He would be around to help when needed and would have made things interesting but he wouldn't have been a father. Alex was another matter. He was the kind of man who was made to be a father. She wasn't sure why she felt that way. It wasn't any one thing he had done or said in the short time she had been around him. It was more like a feeling deep in her soul.

"Would this new plan let my mother see the baby?" The neediness in George's voice almost broke Izzie's heart. What a blind fool she had been. George wanted to be a father. Sure he liked to wear glitter and women's underwear, but that didn't mean he didn't long for parenthood. God she felt like a first class idiot. They had been friends since junior high. She should have realized he wanted to a father.

"George. You're this baby's father. Callie and I talked about this last night and again this morning. Whatever role you want in this child's life is up to you. If you want to be their father, then you're their father. If you want to be cool Uncle George then you're their cool Uncle George. We just want them to know you. You and your mother." A wave of shock, mixed with shame, washed over Izzie. While she had been plotting how to get Alex out of her child's life, Callie and Arizona had been talking about how to include George. Another reminder that plans had to changed. Including her's.

Ducking her head down, Izzie studied her perfectly manicured fingernails. Hot pink with black zebra stripes on them. So immature. She had let George paint them. The uncontrollable fear that had prompted her to spill her guts on her vlog threatened to rear its ugly head. She had never felt so uncertain in her entire. The one thing that kept her from caving in to the desire to throw another emotional hissy fit was the fact that it wasn't just her life that had been turned upside down. Every single person seated at the table was having to re-evaluate the roles they had cast themselves in a month ago. Taking a deep breath, she looked at Alex, hoping she would find an answer on his handsome face. There was nothing there. No hope. No fear. Nothing. Great. She was going to have to ask without having some clue how he would answer. The question was how did she ask? Did she just demand to know what role he wanted? Or did he leave it up to him the way Arizona had with George? She wasn't very good at being diplomatic. It was, she admitted grudgingly, one of the reasons she had been fired. In the end Alex saved her. He laid it all out there, leaving no room for doubt what role he would play in their child's life. Planned or not, he was the baby's father.


	4. Chapter Three

Author's Note: Thank you to those who have stuck with me! It means a great deal. Like the very first chapter this one is from the point of view of a made up character who likes watching Izzie's vlogs. Hope you enjoy! (BTW all the crafts or recipes mentioned in these vlogs are things I have actually done so the instructions are accurate if you ever decide you want to give it a go!)

Chapter Three

_How To: Make The Most of Your Situation _

The scent of peaches mingling with brown sugar, cinnamon, and oatmeal filled most of Bia's spacious kitchen as she sat on the edge of the window seat, trying to figure out how to salvage the evening. It had been one of _those_ days. The kind where everyone she came in contact with wanted to take their frustrations out on her. There had been one point, when her husband accused her loving her job more than him, where she had thought about throwing her hands up and saying screw it all. The problem with doing that was her home was her job and whether her husband liked it or not, they owed their guests quality service. Maybe she spent a lot of time making sure the Home and Hearth was a place people wanted to return to, but that didn't mean she loved the bed and breakfast more than she loved her husband. When things were busy he tended to forget that without the income they earned from taking in guests they wouldn't be able to afford the home his family had had in their family since before the civil war. Maintaining a plantation took more money than Hank's job as an insurance salesmen provided.

"Foolish man," she muttered as she readjusted her position on the window set so that her back was against the two feet of wall behind her. She carefully balanced her laptop across her knees and pulled up myvideos. One of the hardest parts of running a B & B was finding home cooked meals that were easy to prepare and pleasing to the guests. When they first opened the B & B she tried rotating her grandma's recipes. It worked out for about a week; after that even she was sick of Italian food! That was when she turned to the internet. Myvideos specifically. She was a visual girl. She needed to see something being made and know it really was simple before she attempted it. So far she had found two vlogs that kept her stocked in easy recipes. One was hosted by a cooking show and was great for special occasions, while the other was hosted by some adorable blonde girl who wrote a how to column for her local paper. Between the two Bia usually watched thehowtogirl. The girl, Izzie if Bia was remembering correctly, liked to cook comfort food and she liked to make it as easy as possible. In fact, the peach dessert that was baking had come from one of Izzie's vlogs.

"Mind if I join you?"

The soft spoken request came from one of the five guests that were currently staying at Home and Hearth. Typically Bia didn't get attached to her guests but there was something special about Hailey. The young woman had been given the week long stay by her fiance, Brian, who was stationed in Iraq. Bia had learned the young Marine had been there six months already, with another six months to go before he came home. His bride to be seemed so lost without him that it broke Bia's heart. "Pull up a chair," Bia joked, patting the empty space in front of her. "Don't tell but I can't cook worth a lick. Have to find tutorials." It felt nice to admit that to someone.

"Well for someone who can't cook you sure do a great job of faking it." The petite blonde teased back as she settled in next to the older, dark haired Bia. "So, what are we looking for?"

"We are looking to see what my favorite vlogger has posted." Repositioning herself so Hailey could see the laptop monitor as well, Bia pulled up Izzie's latest vlog. Jack pot! It wasn't a craft, but a recipe!

"I know her!" Hailey cried excitedly, her pretty face coming alive for the first time since she had arrived two days before. "I mean, I don't know her, know her but I subscribe her to her vlog." They talked for a moment about the crazy vlog Izzie had posted a few weeks before. It had seemed unreal. Did things like that actually happen? Apparently so! Horrible that it happened to someone like Izzie, someone who seemed so kind. Even worse was the fact that her boss had fired her over it! What kind of jerk did that? Izzie was a trooper though and good things would come her way. Good people always had good things come their way.

"_Good morning fellow vloggers!" Her voice was full of life and there was a shine in her eyes. Either it was from pregnancy or she had found a way to be happy about her current circumstances. "Today we're going to be making one of my favorite dinners. Chicken cacciatore with creamy mashed potatoes. It takes about fifteen minutes for prep and cook time is around forty minutes." Her lips tipped up in a wide grin that flashed perfect white teeth as she started to list the ingredients they would be using. Two large red potatoes cut into one inch chunks. One cup small, fresh cauliflower florets. Four small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves. A half of a cup of light Balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Eight ounces of sliced fresh mushrooms, or well drained canned mushrooms if fresh were unavailable. One yellow and one green pepper chopped into bite size pieces. A half of a cup of onion and chive cream cheese. One fourth of a cup of chopped fresh basil. The screen flashed the list in written form, giving viewers the opportunity to write down the ingredients for themselves. Something most of her fans appreciated. Not all vlogs were so considerate. _

"_First, you're going to cook the potatoes and cauliflower by boiling them in water until they're tender. Typically, that takes fifteen minutes." A soft splashing noise filled the air as she gently emptied the potato chunks and cauliflower florets into a saucepan of boiling water. "While we wait for those to soften up we're going to cook the chicken. Now, you can use cooking spray but I myself like using butter. Gives it a little something, something." She laughed a bit as she placed a few pats of butter in a large frying pan that had been heating on the open range stove. It was definitely a far cry from the electric stove she had been using weeks ago. "For those of you who aren't familiar with cooking chicken on the stove, you really have to be careful. You don't want to leave it on either side for too long. You also want to make sure your temperature isn't too high. I like to use the medium setting." A lock of golden hair fell across one eye as she gently laid each of the breasts into the pan. She blew it off only to have it fall back. Her dark eyes rolled and she muttered something under her breath. "You want to cook chicken until it turns a golden brown. Generally it only takes three to four minutes on each side." Sure enough, four minutes later she was placing the golden brown chicken breasts on a nearby plate. She covered the platter with a couple paper towels. "We're going to set those to the side and work on the sauce. I'm a firm believer in using as few pans as possible so we're going to use the pan we just cooked the chicken in. I like doing this for two reasons. One, the pan is still warm, and two I hate washing dishes!" The laughter that erupted in the background brought a giggle to Izzie's lips. "Looks like my new friend Callie doesn't like doing them either! Come to think of it, I don't know of very many people who do. Which is why we're going to re-use the pan we cooked our chicken in to make our sauce. For the sauce we're going to basically throw our dressing, mushrooms, and peppers together and let it cook for about six minutes. You're going to want to keep stirring so the sauce doesn't start sticking to the pan. Nothing worse than burnt sauce, ladies…and gents," she added at the last second with a wink. "Makes that dreadful clean up process that much harder." _

_She went on to instruct her viewers to return the chicken to the skillet and to spoon the sauce over each breast. It would help heat the chicken back up and season it with the flavors mingling in the sauce. Once each breast was thoroughly covered she advised everyone to turn the heat down as low as it would go while they drained the potato and cauliflower mixture. After the potato and cauliflower mixture was drained she placed the crumbling chunks into a large mixing bowl, where she used a masher to combine the two. She talked about making sure all the lumps were gone, unless, of course, you liked lumps. When it was all done, she fast forwarded to a finished plate, where the potato mixture was on bottom with the chicken and sauce on top. "So, as you have probably realized by now this isn't a difficult meal. Just time consuming. Definitely not something you want to make if you're in a hurry. However, you can pre-make the sauce and freeze it, which will cut down on the process quite a bit. You can also do the same with the potato mixture. I don't really recommend doing that with the chicken though because it will dry out really quickly when you're re-cooking it." _

_Her lip tucked between her teeth, as though she were debating on saying more. The food segment was over. "Almost a month ago, I posted a vlog that I shouldn't have," she said slowly, her fingers curling over the edge of the tan marble counter top. "It has sense been removed but a lot of my regulars seen it and have emailed me concerning the things I talked about. I would like to take the time to answer a few of the main questions that have been asked. No, I haven't found another job yet. While it bothers me that I lost my job the way I did and how I did, I'm starting to think it might have been for the best. The extra time has allowed me to give serious thought to my future. Which is something I have been needing to do." She licked her lips and flexed her fingers again, giving the impression that she was thinking hard about what she was going to say next. "In what I fondly call my melt down vlog I was pretty upset about the fact that things weren't going according to plan. Over the pass month I have come to realize that things happen for a reason, or in this case many reasons. A few of you asked if the father of my baby wanted to be a part of the baby's life. Yes, Alex is going to be a very big part of our baby's life." A far off look formed on her face and a sparkle filled her eyes. "We've done a lot of talking about how we want our child to be raised and we're working out the details of making sure we both play a big part in their life. Some one, also asked if Alex was going to be a part of my life. I think that is kind of a given, seeing how we're going to have a child together. As far as us being involved beyond that…we're friends…so who knows!" _

Who knows? Really. The girl wasn't fooling anyone. The moment she started talking about the mysterious Alex it was pretty clear she liked the man. Perhaps Bia would take a cue from some of the other viewers and write little Miss Izzie an email asking why she looked like some star struck teenager whenever she talked about the father of her baby. Maybe the question would be addressed in a future vlog. If nothing else it would make Izzie think about the answer to the question. Emailing would have to wait though. She guests to feed. And, she thought with a grimace, a husband to coddle. Maybe she would email Izzie and ask her to do a vlog on how to have a fast, cheap romantic dinner for two.


	5. Chapter Four

Author's Note: One of the biggest fears a writer has is losing their readers. I know a great deal of you have lost interest because of how long it takes between updates. I wish I could promise that updates will come quicker but I don't believe in lying. There are several reasons why updates take as long as they do. In the past month I have had dealt with a great deal of loss. A friend lost their battle with cancer. Another friend's child died suddenly. And yet another friend lost their father. It made me not only said on their behalves, but made me realize how precious my time with my family is. For those of you who do not know, I have a husband and two children. They are my world. I could rush updates but I feel a responsibility to you, my readers, to provide quality updates. Please stay with me. I promise the waits will be worth it. In fact, in this chapter the seed of thinking of Izzie as something more than the woman having his child is planted in Alex's mind.

Chapter Four

_How To: Be Honest With Yourself _

Family is everything. Ellis Robbins Karev Grey had been raised on that mantra and had instilled it in all four of her children (five if she counted the niece she had raised.) Most of the time her second to eldest, Alex Karev, had no problem living by the family motto. As the only boy with three younger sisters and a cousin, to look out for he had learned at an early age what responsibility was. He could only think of three times he resented being raised to believe family was everything. The first had been when his mom made him dress up as Barney for his youngest sister Lexie's fourth birthday. The second had been when his cousin Cristina was dumped by some douche bag named Preston and he'd been forced to escort her to her junior prom. The third, and latest, was when his twin sister Arizona talked him into donating his sperm so her wife could have a baby.

He had known something would go wrong. Things like that never turned out well. He had figured on the something wrong being the kid resenting them, not some nurse switching specimens to get back at his sister in law Callie. That was how it happened though. Erica Hahn had seen the opportunity to stick it to Callie for dumping her for Arizona and she had taken it. It hadn't mattered that she wasn't just messing with Callie and Arizona's life. It hadn't mattered that Alex, George O'Malley and Izzie Stevens had had their worlds turned upside down too. Nope, all Erica Hahn had cared about was hurting Callie and Arizona as much as they had hurt her.

"Stop thinking about it," he muttered as he stepped out of his shower and reached for the thick, navy blue towel that was waiting on the nearby vanity. It was a constant struggle not to think about the havoc Erica Hahn had wreaked on his life. Fatherhood was not something he had wanted…ever. Yet it had been thrust upon him and because of that damn family is everything value his mother had drilled into him he couldn't walk away from the baby Izzie was pregnant with. A part of him wish she had terminated the pregnancy. It would have made things easier. At least for him. Probably for her too since she'd lost her job because of the baby. It was only a small, selfish part of him that thought that though. Most of him clung to the family is everything mantra. And, for better or worse, Izzie and that baby were now a part of his family. He just hoped he didn't fail in the father department.

"You decent?" Arizona's muffled voice pierced through his thoughts. He thought about asking why she was bothering to ask when she never waited for him to answer. Right on cue, she barged through the bathroom door, her blonde curls bouncing around her shoulders. There was a gleam in her sky blue eyes that made him nervous. Arizona seldom butted into his life but when she did she did it whole heartedly and in a big way. The saying "go big or go home" fit his twin sister to a tee. "You should buy a shirt that color," she pointed toward the towel knotted around his waist. "It's a good color for you."

Shaking his head, Alex brushed pass her and padded into the adjoining bedroom. "Better make it quick because I don't plan on wearing this towel all day."

"Drop it. See if I care. We shared a womb, remember? With the exception of that tattoo on your arm you're not sporting anything now you weren't sporting back then." The amusement in her voice should have been annoying. It wasn't. It brought a slight smirk to his full lips as reached for the jeans and t shirt he had laid on the bed before his shower. They were too old to dress and undress in front of one another but comfortable enough for him to dress in the closet while she stated whatever business had brought her over. "We need to talk about how you're going to handle the whole situation with Izzie at work. Callie and I have it covered as far as George is concerned."

"Oh yeah? What are you telling people? That he's such a good friend he loaned you his sperm?" The irony of his statement wasn't lost on him. George had been a good enough friend to loan someone his sperm: Izzie. Alex had to admit it took a pretty great friend to do something like that. It had taken his mother, all four of his sisters, and his cousin reminding him that family was everything before he would commit to helping Callie and Arizona have a child. From what little Alex knew George hadn't thought twice about helping his friend out. George, no doubt, would make a great father.

"Something like that." Arizona admitted. Mixing a bit of the truth with the lie was smart. It meant fewer people would question the parentage of the child. It would be nice if things were that simple with Izzie, he mused. For the most part few people knew the truth of Izzie's pregnancy. She had deleted her melt down vlog, kept her comments during newer vlogs vague, and avoided direct answers when people asked her about the father. "So? How are you going to handle the whole baby thing at work? George says some of their friends think she got knocked up from a one night stand and is too embarrassed to say so or that the father is a married man."

Handling things at the hospital would be tricky. Everyone knew he wasn't involved in a relationship. That left a one night stand. The thought of people thinking Izzie had gotten pregnant because of a one night stand left a sour taste in his mouth. What choice did they have though? Unsavory or not, it was pretty much their only option. Outside telling people the truth of course. And he really didn't want that stigma hanging over the babies heads because one day they wouldn't be babies. Nobody should have to know they were created on accident. If he had his way his child and his niece or nephew would never know how they were conceived. They would just know they were loved. And, he could admit, that a small part of him already loved the baby. "One night stand," he muttered as he exited the closet.

Arizona nodded, her blue eyes a little sad. "I hate to say it but that might be your best option. Kinda hate that it has to be that way but…" her slender shoulders raised and then fell as she sank on to the edge of the bed. "People will believe it at least." She plucked at the black and cream patterned comforter, her chin tucked against her chest. Something was on her mind. Something other than what he was going to tell his coworkers. "I think you should think about settling down." Her voice was quiet yet the words seemed to echo throughout his spacious bedroom. "We're thirty-two Alex. Time to be adults. I know you think you are but lets face it, you're doing all the playing now that you should have been doing when we were kids. I worry about you. That you're going to miss out on something great because you're too busy goofing around. Or worse you're going to miss out on Miss Right because you're screwing around with some skank."

If it had been one of his other sisters or even his mother, Alex would have blown the concern off. Arizona wasn't just his sister though. She was his best friend. His other half. She knew him; sometimes better than he knew himself. Her concern wasn't an attempt to be nosy or to push him into a relationship. It was real. So real he felt it pricking at his heart the way it must have been pricking at her's. Their connection was a little freaky at times. He could remember once, in the tenth grade, when he had broken his wrist playing football. Arizona had felt it and known he was hurt long before anyone told her. "I know you think I look at life as one big party but I don't. I work. A lot. And its stressful. You know that. I spend so much time being serious at work that when I'm off I just…I don't know…want to cut loose. Have fun. Forget that I'm responsible for whether someone lives or dies."

"I get that. I do. When I'm home the last thing I want to do is think about or talk medicine. The thing is, we're doctors. We made that choice. Is it stressful at times? Oh yeah. But for every stressful moment there is one that reminds me why I became a doctor. You can't tell me it isn't like that for you too." A lock of high lighted hair fell across one eye as she stared at him. The concern was still there. Maybe even more so. "This isn't about work though. This is about you settling down. You're about to become a father. You might not have asked for it but there it is. Izzie gave you the chance to bow out gracefully with no hard feelings. You chose to stay in the game. That means you have to be a team player. You have to start acting like and thinking like a dad."

A whoosh of air crossed his lips as he let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. They were talking about fatherhood. Okay. He could do that. He could talk about settling into the role of being a good dad. Most likely he would see the kid every other weekend. He could be the perfect weekend father. No problem. "I'm not going to drag the kid to a bar, Arizona." It was a bad joke. One that was either lost on her or didn't amuse her. He was figuring on the latter rather than the former. "I can be a good dad and still enjoy life."

"Really? Like our dad? Or what about Thatcher? Cause from what I can remember when they were having good times they were not so great in the father department."

A flood of memories assaulted him. There was no disputing what she was saying. Michael Karev had left his wife and two year old twins because they did not fit in with his good time lifestyle. His step-father, Thatcher Grey, had been pretty much the same way. He was a great guy…when he wasn't drinking or cheating. A lump formed in Alex's throat. He wouldn't be like that. He wouldn't expose his child to that lifestyle. He wouldn't choose a weekend in Vegas over his kid's birthday party. Nor would he show up to his daughter's wedding so drunk he couldn't stand upright long enough to walk her down the aisle. "What do you want me to do? Live like a monk?"

"No. I want you to settle down." They weren't just talking about fatherhood. They were talking about him and…who? A flash of a tall, curvy blonde with big brown eyes flashed before him. Izzie? No. Arizona wasn't talking about Izzie. Was she? Alex shifted from one foot to the other while he waited for his sister to clarify what she meant by settling down. If she suggested Izzie he couldn't say he was entirely opposed. If a guy had to think about screwing only one woman the rest of his life why not pick one that looked like a porn star? "I want you to seriously think about getting to know Izzie. Not just as a baby mama but as a woman."

Thinking about Izzie as a woman wasn't a problem. He had a pretty clear image in his head of her long, slender legs and her high, round breasts. When he was feeling brave, he could see those legs wrapped around his waist and those breasts filling his hands. He tried to keep thoughts of Izzie mostly rated PG. The woman was having his baby for crying out loud. She was going to be a mother, not some friend with benefits. "What do you want me to do? Ask her out?"

"Actually, I was thinking you could join us for a nice little family dinner." A calculating smile tipped the corners of Arizona's lips as she stared up at him. "Nothing fancy. Just family."

Just family. Ha. That was like saying Hitler had just been a soldier. Family dinner meant his mother, Arizona, Callie, his two younger half sisters Meredith and Lexie, and, if he was unlucky, his cousin Cristina. Family dinner meant nosy questions, snide comments, and really bad food. The women in his family made great career women but horrid cooks. "Take out and no Cristina." He could handle everyone else, but his cousin Cristina Yang was a bitch and proud of it. He had seen her psychologically neuter men in the courtroom and had experienced it a few times at family get togethers.

"Izzie is cooking and sorry, we have to include Cristina. She's family. Practically a sister."

If Izzie was cooking that meant the dinner had already been established. Great. Just great. Even if he wanted to find a way not to go, now he couldn't. If he didn't show Izzie would think he wasn't serious about all the promises he had made where the baby was concerned. "You really expect me to get to know Izzie better with the interruption triplets around?" For as long as he could remember either Meredith, Lexie, or Cristina had been interrupting. Conversations. Kisses. Break ups. You name it, they had interrupted it. He could see the writing on the wall already. One of them would butt in and screw things up. It was inevitable. Interrupting was engrained in them, as much a part of them as their arms and legs.

"You have a point but what am I suppose to do? Call them all up and say sorry, you're no longer invited to dinner? I would look like an idiot. Besides, Izzie has to get use to them." And that was that. End of discussion. Arizona pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and retreated as quickly as she had arrived. No asking if he was alright with coming to dinner with the whole family, Izzie, and George present. No letting him know what time to show up or what they would be eating. Nope just a lecture on how he needed to settle down, some not so subtle hints about Izzie being a great choice, and an order to show up for dinner. Welcome to his life. A life where family is everything.


	6. Chapter Five

_Author's Note: Ever have one of those days where everything that could go wrong, did go wrong? I just had an entire update delete itself right before my eyes. I have no idea why it disappeared or where it went. I do know that I am rather ticked off at my piece of crap laptop that is less than a year old! It has spent more time in the shop than it has on my desk. Okay, okay. That isn't entirely true. It feels that way though! This is the icing on a great, big, things going wrong cake! I quite literally can do nothing right. It is a feeling that I am a little too acquainted with. I try not to bring up religion out of respect for others but right now I feel so down trodden I am begging prayer. I am exhausted from trying to please others but falling short. I feel like such a failure. I can't even properly save a document. THAT is where my self esteem is at the moment. I don't know if this version of the update is nearly as good as the one that disappeared but I do hope you enjoy it. _

_Few things to remember: This is an alternate universe story and some of the characters will seem off kilter. I fully admit that Addison is off kilter in this chapter. That was done on purpose. I need her relationship with Izzie to be rocky at first and then grow into something solid. I hope all you Addison lovers can forgive me for that. Does knowing that she will be reunited with Izzie's father help? Does it also help that Izzie's father is…Wait. I can't give that away! It's pretty crucial! I will give you this hint: sheep. _

Chapter Five

_How To: Control The Fire When Sparks Fly_

A mind, numbing exhaustion wrapped itself around Izzie as she struggled to pay attention to the words coming out of her mother's mouth. It was difficult to feign interest where Addison Stevens Forbes Montgomery was concerned. The woman only had one topic: herself. Izzie liked to think it was because Addie had lost out on her childhood by becoming a mother at the tender age of fifteen, but her grandma Robbie assured her Addie had been born selfish. Everything had to revolve around Addison or there was hell to pay. Having experienced that hell first hand several times, Izzie was in no hurry to go there again. Which meant admitting she wasn't in a place where she could attentively listen. "Mama," she whispered, "I know you're really excited about your new car but I'm exhausted."

"I was always tired when I was pregnant with you." The revelation was a startling one. They never spoke about when Addison was pregnant or even who Izzie's father was. Just some boy was all Izzie was ever able to get from her mother or grandmother. Just some boy wasn't good enough. She had a whole other part of herself missing. Who knew, maybe she had siblings out there. Not that she was in a hurry to have any brothers or sisters. Maybe before her little get together with Alex's family, but definitely not after. His mother had been polite, if not kind, and Arizona had been her cheerful self. Even the younger sisters, Meredith and Lexie had been great. The cousin was another story. Cristina Yang had quizzed her up one wall and down another.

"I wish I could tell you it gets easier but as I recall it just gets worse. You'll start perking back up around the time the baby starts moving around. Of course, if this baby is anything like you were they won't move an inch until you lay down to go to sleep. And then they will spend the whole night kicking, stretching, and rolling." The annoyance in Addison's voice was comical. It wasn't hard to imagine fifteen year old Addison trying to get comfortable and growing agitated when she couldn't. The agitation had probably escalated to a toddler worthy fit when she realized she couldn't yell at the person responsible. Or maybe she had yelled. Izzie wouldn't put it pass Addison to yell at an unborn baby for disrupting her sleep. The image brought a giggle to Izzie's lips. "Really, Izzie, I don't see what's so funny! I guarantee you will not be laughing in a couple months."

"You're probably right," Izzie agreed, another giggle forming in her throat as she watched her mother rise from the sofa. Addison muttered some excuse about being late for a date. Figured. There were times when she needed Addison to be a mother. A real mother. Tonight was one of those times. Dinner with Alex's family had been hard. For every inch she gained with his mother and sisters, she lost two with his bitch of a cousin. She didn't know why she cared so much what Cristina Yang thought of her. It wasn't like she had to deal with the woman very often. The woman was a lawyer, that was what bothered her. That was why she cared. Cristina had the capabilities of talking Alex and his family into suing for custody and winning.

"Stop it. Stop thinking like that." The whispered command did nothing to ease Izzie's mind. All she could think about was Cristina quizzing her up on whether or not she had found another job, was she going to continue living with her mother, and were there any men in her life? It had felt like an inquisition. Only Callie, Alex, and Arizona had come to her rescue. Callie by constantly changing the subject, Alex by trying to turn the tables on Cristina by asking invasive questions, and Arizona by point blank telling Cristina to shut up. They shouldn't have had to, Izzie thought miserably. George had sat by and let a barracuda in red Prada heels rip her to shreds. So much for their years of unwavering friendship. So much for all the times she had stood up for him.

The peel of the doorbell cut through her gloomy thoughts. With a wistful sigh, she rose to her feet, wondering if she could get by with ignoring whoever was at the door. A quick peek through the eye-hole revealed a rather frustrated looking Alex. Wrinkling her brow, Izzie quickly opened the door. "What are you doing here?" The question came out snippier than intended but she didn't bother apologizing for her sour mood. She had every right to know what he was doing on her mother's door step at ten o'clock at night. In gym clothes no less.

"Cristina's a bitch. I should have told her to shut up way before Meredith did." The off handed apology did nothing to sooth the hurt that stung Izzie's heart. Nothing Alex said could fix that pain. He hadn't been the one to inflict it. George and his silence had. It was rather nice of him to make the effort, a small voice in the back of her mind scolded. It had been nice of him. It showed what sort of man he was.

"It's fine. She's just looking out for you." The words tasted bitter on her tongue. Truth was never an easy pill to swallow and much as it pained her, Cristina's questions hadn't been a personal attack.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Never know with her." There was a hardness in Alex's tone that suggested at things not being what they seemed where his dear cousin was concerned. "Think I could come in for a minute?"

Izzie hesitated for a moment before stepping back to let Alex inside. Another giggle formed in her throat as she recalled the last time she had let a boy inside her mother's house. She had been seventeen and the boy had been Denny Duquette, her date to the senior prom. Back then she had thought he hung the moon. They'd danced the night away and then made love for the first time in the back of his father's BMW. The next week he had dumped her for some silly twit named Rose. It had hurt like hell but opened her eyes to what a fairytale love really was. Like Cinderella and Prince Charming, love didn't exist. Alex wasn't there to talk about love though. Any conversation they had would concern their child. That was all any of their conversations consisted of.

"Every year the hospital I work for has this fundraiser. Usually I try to be out of town or volunteer to work the E.R. that night but this year they want me to speak. I'm not real keen on going alone so I was wondering if you might help a guy out and go with me." A lopsided grin tipped the corners of his full lips and brought a pair of dimples out of hiding.

The Springdale Community Hospital Fundraiser was one of the biggest social events of the year. Izzie had never been but Addison always seemed to find some man in need of arm candy for the night. It was all designer gowns and tuxedoes. Designer gowns…Izzie's heart sunk. Any thought she had of saying yes crashed and burned. She owned a total of two evening gowns, both form fitting affairs that were now at least one size too small. "I'm not sure…"

"She'd be happy to!" Addison seemed to reappear from no where. She hooked one arm through Izzie's and held out her other hand to Alex. The introductions were awkward as Alex mentally did the math on their age differences. An uneasy feeling twisted in the pit of Izzie's stomach. Her mother was only seven years older than Alex. In all reality he probably had more in common with Addison than with her. Do not go there, Izzie silently ordered. Do not mentally pair Alex up with your mother. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled, the uneasiness exiting with the whoosh of air. There was no point in imagining things that would never be. Addison was a lot of things but one thing Izzie was sure of: Addison would help her before hurting her.

"I can't go to that fundraiser," hissed Izzie the moment they closed the door behind Alex. "In case you've forgotten I'm pregnant. Nothing fits. And I don't have the money to buy something either."

"Minor details," Addison scoffed. She drew Izzie closer to her side. "Let me worry about the dress, okay?" A moment of disbelief silenced Izzie. This was a side of Addison she had never seen. It took a moment for her to realize her mother was serious. With a lump of emotion in her throat, Izzie nodded. "I have to say, he is one hot piece of ass. Bet he's a lot of fun in the sack. With any luck you'll find out first hand."


	7. Chapter Six

_Author's Note: The last chapter was short and probably not what many of you were expecting. I realize most of you were looking forward to a chapter dedicated to the family dinner Arizona coerced Alex into attending. I'll be honest, the chapter that mysteriously deleted itself was just that. Looking at the bigger picture I am rather glad it disappeared. I was able to convey Cristina's leeriness, George's silence, and Izzie's hurt in the last chapter without having to muddle through a dinner. By pushing the timeline up I was able to also give you a glimpse at the relationship Izzie has with her mother. There isn't a big age difference between them and more often then not they fight like sisters. Their biggest fight is over the identity of Izzie's father. Imagine growing up, not knowing who your father is? Can you feel the pain? The lack of identity? Izzie's problem isn't hurtful ex-boyfriends, it is not knowing who her father is. Half of her genetic make up is a mystery. The only thing she knows for sure is that her father hurt her mother deeply and she doesn't want to experience that pain. The problem with that logic is there is nothing logical about it! Her father was little more than a child himself when she was conceived and he let fear rule his thinking. What he did has never been far from his heart or mind. He lives with the regret every day. The truly amazing part is how closely connected he is to Alex. Wait. Stop. Inhale. He is NOT Alex's father, step-father, or a relative of any kind. He is kind of Alex's boss. Wait. Why am I telling you all this in the author's note? I should just let you see how it all unfolds! Back to the story…_

Chapter Six

_How To: Confront the past with dignity. _

Peter Honeycutt the third was a pompous ass with too much time, too much money, and not enough brain cells. He was also Addison's ticket to most of Springdale's so-called social events. The dreary little town of twenty thousand had never been her cup of tea. It was home though and better to be a big fish in a small pond than a guppy in the ocean. She'd left long enough to attend Texas Tech, where she had been just another freshman with a fatherless toddler. At first she hadn't wanted to take Izzie with her. She had seen college as her shot at being a normal teen. Her mother had insisted though. Addison was Izzie's mother, not Robbie. It had all worked out for the best, she could admit that now. Having Izzie along had kept her out of trouble and focused on her education. Any time she thought about giving up she would look down at Izzie's sweet little face and be reminded that she wanted a better life for her daughter than the one she had been given. She had gotten it too. Hard work and staying focused on getting ahead had given Izzie a life that was a far cry from the one Addison had known growing up.

"Precious, they're taking our photograph, smile a little." The little hiss from Peter Honeycutt the third grated on Addison's nerves. Men like him were a necessary evil in her line of work. Investment banking was only as lucrative as the clients whose money she was investing. The trick was to find men with too much time, too much money, and not enough brain cells. They never thought ahead; until it was too late.

"I'd rather you didn't call me precious," she bit out around the too bright smile she had plastered on her face. The smile faltered a bit as Peter slid his hand from the small of her back to her backside. Typical jackass. Thinking that since he had gained her entrance into an event that meant he could take liberties. Pea brained fool. Showed what he knew. "If I were you I would move that hand."

"Good thing you're not me," he chuckled. A small gasp caught in the back of her throat as he pinched her. Of all the nerve!

Chest heaving as she sucked in a deep breath, Addison whirled around so that she faced him. "Listen closely, you pompous ass. I'm your stock broker, not your plaything of the month. Unless you want me to discontinue our professional relationship I suggest you keep your hands to yourself." Her fingers shook slightly as she smoothed out imaginary wrinkles in the form fitting lavender gown she had worn. As much as she valued Peter Honeycutt the third's account she didn't value it enough to let the man grope her.

"Aw, Addie, come on. I was just having a little fun." The sulky tone would have been irksome coming from a toddler; used by a grown man it was not only annoying but ridiculous. He was forty-seven years old. Time to grow up. He never would though. Not so long as he had a steady influx of income in the six digit bracket.

"Fun for you, annoying for me. Hands to yourself." She grabbed a flute off champagne from a passing waiter's chair and quickly downed it. Heavy drinking wasn't her usual style but the list of speakers had her on edge. One speaker in particular. Dr. Derek Shepherd. It had been nearly twenty-five years since she had spoken to him. She told him she was pregnant and he had told her he wasn't ready. She hadn't been ready either, damn it! Yet she had done the right thing…the grown up thing. While she had been giving birth he had been getting drunk at a frat party. His mother had shown up at the hospital long enough to say she was sorry for her son and that Izzie was a beautiful baby. Addison had thought that meant the woman would be taking an interest in her granddaughter and perhaps Caroline would have…if she hadn't been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It hit hard and took her fast, cutting off any ties Izzie might have had to the Shepherd family.

"I promise I will behave for the rest of the night." Again, Peter sounded more like a toddler than a man. Oh well. Not her problem. She acknowledged his so called promise and made an excuse to move on. Her plan for the night was simple. Keep moving and she could avoid contact with the prick that had abandoned not only her, but her daughter. She could have forgiven him for leaving her. Most seventeen year old seniors in high school dumped their sophomore girlfriends when they went off to college. No, what she couldn't forgive was him not taking an interest in Izzie. Sure there had been that time when Izzie was five and he'd begged to see her. Addison had stood her ground. He was not going to hurt her daughter any more than he already had.

She downed another glass of champagne as she perused the crowded ball room, her blue gaze searching. She wasn't sure who she was looking for: Izzie or Derek. Perhaps she was looking for both. A ghost of a smile tipped the corners of her lips as she spotted her daughter and Alex Karev talking with a group of unfamiliar people. It warmed her heart seeing Izzie so happy. Addison had worried that the pregnancy fiasco would do her girl in. She'd been against it from the get go. Single parenthood wasn't easy. Having Izzie announce that she intentionally planned on going down that road had been heartbreaking. Even more heartbreaking was her daughter's choice in sperm donors. George O'Malley was a sweet, loving man but he wasn't someone Izzie could marry and settle down with. The mix up had been a blessing in Addison's book. An even bigger blessing was the fact that the father was Alex Karev. Addison had met him a couple times at various social events hosted by the hospital. He'd always struck her as a home and hearth kind of guy; no matter how hard he tried to prove otherwise. Izzie was definitely a home and hearth girl, her little vlog proved that. Where her daughter had gotten all that creativity was lost on her. It was amazing the things her daughter did!

"She's beautiful."

The familiar voice wrapped itself around her like a smothering boa constrictor. Her chin raised slightly as she forced herself to turn around and face the man who had changed her life forever. He looked like a stranger. At seventeen he had been all intense blue eyes, big nose, and gangly body. She'd loved him though. Now, he was a handsome stranger who left her cold. "Don't even think about going near her," Addison bit out, her voice trembling violently as she struggled to keep her emotions in check.

"She's a grown up now. I think whether or not she has a relationship with me is up to her." The calm, rational way he spoke fueled her anger. How dare he! He acted as though he had the _right _to be Izzie's father. As far as she was concerned he had lost that right the moment he told her the pregnancy was her problem.

"Do you really think she's going to welcome you with open arms? You were never there! You walked out, remember? I raised her. Me. Not you. I'm her parent. Not you." She knew she sounded as much like a toddler as Peter Honeycutt the third had only minutes ago. She couldn't help it. She could see her fragile relationship with Izzie disintegrating. Izzie had never understood or appreciated the long hours Addison put in at work, trying to make their lives better. It had always been a chasm between them. Lately, they had slowly grown closer. The baby gave them something to talk about, a common link. Addison cherished their little chats. It made them feel more like a normal mother/daughter.

"We're not going to have this argument again. I let you win the last time. You won't be so lucky this go around, Addie-mine."

The old nickname was like a slap in the face: unexpected and painful. "Do not call me that, Derbear." There. Two could play that game. She crossed her arms over her chest and fought back a shiver. The last time their paths had crossed she had still been clinging to the anger, wrapping herself in it like a protective blanket. She should have pulled it out and cloaked herself again. Despite her words, despite the lingering pain, she was no longer that scared, angry girl trying to raise a child on her own. Now she was an adult, about to become a grandmother, and far too mature to give in to childish anger. The anger she felt now was more at herself. She knew the first thing he would tell Izzie was how he had tried to have a relationship when she was in kindergarten but mean, wicked mother had forbid it. What hurt the most was Izzie would probably believe him. "Go away, Derek," she whispered. "Just…go away."

OoOoOoO

Excitement trickled from an unknown source deep within Izzie's soul and slowly spread throughout the rest of her. Whatever reservations she'd had about accepting the invitation seemed to have melted away. Addison had gone from mother to fairy godmother, insisting on a new cocktail dress that hid the small bump forming but didn't make it obvious that she was pregnant, as well as a new hairstyle. She'd let her mother talk her into cutting her long, dark blonde hair into a fun just above the shoulder bob that gave more life to her natural waves. At first she had been hesitant but once the hairdresser had worked his magic she had loved the easier to maintain style. It would come in handy once the baby was born. A wash and go 'do that she could still fix when the occasion called for it.

"…had no idea Alex was even seeing someone!"

The unexpected exclamation caught Izzie off guard. She had been prepared for a lot of assumptions about why she was with Alex but people assuming she was his girlfriend hadn't occurred to her. "Oh, we're not…"

"Izzie and I have a complicated relationship. We're working through those complications though."

A nearby woman with strawberry blonde hair coughed and leaned over to whisper something in the ear of a dark haired woman that had been shooting daggers with her eyes all night. "I didn't realize cheating was a complication," the brunette snipped, her voice so low they almost didn't hear her. Izzie shifted nervously from one foot to the other. This was not a scene she wanted to be involved in. Clearly this woman had had a relationship with this woman. At least a physical one.

"If you have something to say Rebecca, why don't you just say it." The annoyance in Alex's voice surprised Izzie. If their roles had been reversed, if she was the one with a spurned lover biting at the chomp to cause a scene, she would backed down. Not Alex. He seemed hell bent to drag it all out into the open.

"Fine. I will." The shorter woman stepped closer, her hazel eyes scanning over Izzie's taller, slimmer form. "I think it's horrible that you supposedly have this girlfriend…a girlfriend none of us knew about…and yet you still slept with me. Did he tell you that?" It took Izzie a moment to realize the question had been directed toward her.

"He told me," she said slowly. Alex had told her. In a sense. He'd told her that he'd made a lot of mistakes, slept with women he shouldn't have, and some of those women would be at the fundraiser. This Rebecca was one of them.

"He told you?"

The concept of honesty seemed lost on the not quite pretty, but not quite plain woman before her. It was a bit sad how bewildered the woman seemed. She had clearly wanted Alex to end up hurt. Which meant she'd had her feelings hurt. Oh boy. Izzie would have to tread carefully. She'd been where the woman before her was. It wasn't a fun place, to care about a man who didn't care about you. Granted, in Izzie's case the man was her father and not some one night stand. "He told me," she reaffirmed, wanting to make it known that she and Alex did talk. For whatever reason he wanted people to believe they were in a relationship. It was a risky move, especially since he had clearly been an "unfaithful boyfriend." "He said you were nice but he regretted using you." Anything else she said from then on would be tricky. Mixing the truth with little half-lies was always a delicate matter.

"Around the time I slept with you, we found out Izzie was pregnant. I panicked." The sincerity in Alex's voice warmed Izzie's heart. He was keeping things as truthful as possible. It meant he was as concerned about what people thought as she was. "I'm sorry that you ended up hurt but that's a part of my life I'm trying to put behind me. So, if you don't mind, Izzie and I are going to dance."

He didn't wait to see if Rebecca had more to say, he simply held out his hand and smiled his dimpled smile. It was impossible not to smile back. With the exception of their encounter with Rebecca, the evening had been wonderful. He'd introduced her to several colleagues, not as some woman having his baby but as his girlfriend. It was a lie, of course, but for the night she could pretend they were a real couple. It was a nice fantasy. One even easier to delve into as he swung her into his arms and pulled her close. Their bodies melded together perfectly, as though they had been designed one for the other. Perhaps they had been. Perhaps Erica Hahn had been an instrument used by fate to bring them together. Or perhaps you're a sappy romantic that needs a reality check, she silently teased herself.

The reality check came far too soon for her taste. It came in the form of her mother's raised voice. "Is that your mother arguing with Dr. Shepherd?" Alex's voice whispered against her ear. Another time she would have enjoyed the little thrill that raced down her spine. She couldn't this time though. Not with her usually calm mother yelling at a handsome dark haired man with the bluest eyes Izzie had ever seen.

"What is she doing?" Izzie stepped out of Alex's embrace and started toward her mother, a sense of dread knotting in her stomach. She shouldn't interfere. She should just continue to enjoy her dance with Alex. Why ruin a lovely evening by meddling in affairs that were not her concern. Her mother _was _her concern though. As she drew near she heard her mother ask the man to go away. "Mom, what's going on?"

A look of horror glossed over her mother's face. Addison shook her head and blinked. It was then Izzie noticed the tears gathering in her mother's blue eyes. She very seldom seen Addison cry. "What did say to her?" She turned the question on the stranger hovering near.

"I think you and I should go somewhere more private and talk," suggested the man…Dr. Shepherd Alex had called him. Alex's new boss, if the rumors circulating the room were to be believed. Izzie didn't care who he was. He'd obviously upset her mother, something that was almost impossible to do.

Shaking her head, Izzie wrapped her arms around her waist, her gaze fixated on the man in front of her. He looked so familiar, as though she should know him. A ghost of a memory from when she was five tickled at the just below the surface of her thoughts. The man before her was there, arguing with her mother. Something to do with her. Something about it being his right to…To what? Slowly it all fully surfaced. His right to see his daughter. Addison had screamed at him to get out. To just go away. Nausea rolled through her stomach as she shook her head. She wasn't thinking clearly. Her mother wouldn't keep her father from her. Would she?

"Izzie, there are things we need to discuss that are best suited to a more private setting." Dr. Shepherd's insistence made it all more palpable.

"We don't have anything to talk about." If the conversation didn't occur then her mother wasn't a spiteful bitch who had kept her daughter's father away. If the conversation didn't occur Izzie wouldn't have to hear whatever excuses Dr. Shepherd had for not fighting for his rights as a father. If the conversation didn't occur…she would never know the truth. She didn't want to know the truth. Not right now. Not when so much of her world had already been flipped upside down.

Addison edged closer, her familiar perfume almost choking Izzie as she tried to wrap an arm around her daughter's trembling shoulders. "Sweetie, I think Derek's right. I think we should go somewhere and…"

"And what? Have a happy family reunion? Where you explain why you kept my father out of my life? Or maybe we can laugh over the way Daddy dearest here only tried one time to see me. Sorry but I'm not sure I'm really in the mood for that much joy."

Her mother nodded her head and murmured something about the two of them talking at home. Shit. Shit! How could she forget? She was temporarily living with her mother. Now what? She couldn't turn to George. She was still to angry at him. All her other friends were either married with families of their own or single and partying it up. Any way she looked at it, there was no room in their lives for a single, pregnant woman with a messed up life. Tears burned her eyes as she tried to untangle herself from Addison's embrace. What was she going to do? She couldn't go home. She wasn't strong enough to deal with the mess her parents had dumped on her.

"Are you okay?" Arizona's soft voice was a soothing balm. Shaking her head, Izzie fell into the other woman's arms. How had her life gotten this complicated? What had she done to deserve so much crap thrown at her? Not all crap, a quiet voice reminded. The baby was a blessing. Meeting Arizona and Callie was a blessing. Having Alex in her life was…more than a mere blessing. It was bigger than that. It was…she didn't know what but she knew that there had to be a reason the mix up occurred, something other than a spiteful ex-girlfriend. There had to be something bigger at work. She wouldn't feel so strongly attached if there wasn't. She loved them. All three of them. Arizona and Callie were like sisters. Wonderful, amazing sisters that defended her and told her everything would be okay, even when it didn't seem like it. Alex was a light at the end of the tunnel. She was too afraid to examine how she felt beyond that.

"Iz." Alex's warm embrace blanketed her trembling form. "Whatever's wrong, we'll fix it, okay?"

"I can't go back," she whimpered, burying her face in his neck. She wanted to lose herself in the daydream. To imagine they were a couple. Not just pretend but for real. The pain wouldn't allow it. Her whole body hurt. Every fiber of her being had been shaken.

"You don't have to," he promised, his skilled surgeon hands gently stroking wisps of her hair off her tear dampened cheek. "You can stay with me until you get through whatever it is." She closed her eyes and tried to allow herself to believe that what he said was true, that everything would be okay.


	8. Chapter Seven

_Author's Note: Thank you to those of you who take the time to review. It means far more than you will ever realize. It is a reminder that the hours put into an update are not wasted. For those of you who read and do not review, I thank you for reading. I realize I do not update as often as you would like and that has cost me readers. Quality over quantity is my philosophy. I will not mass produce updates just to keep readers. Nor will I blackmail readers into reviews by with-holding updates. I will, however, give you a quality story. I know I am not the best writer out there but as far as fan fiction goes I do believe I am a cut above the norm. Alright, on with the story! We left off with Izzie learning that Derek was her father. Rather upsetting, don't you think? To have something that big thrust upon your already ridiculously, messed up life? Thankfully, Alex is there to save the day. Things might seem as though they are speeding along at an almost un-tangible rate, but there is a reason for that. I needed to come up with a way for Izzie to move into Alex's house. I don't think any of you will argue with how fun that is going to be! _

Chapter Seven

_How To: Grow _

Moving in together was a big step. One that shouldn't be taken lightly. It would mean changes, drastic changes, to both their lifestyles. Caitlyn Burgess wasn't sure she was ready for that step. She loved her boyfriend Greg, really she did, but living together? Just the thought was enough to make her break out in hives. A delicate shudder rippled through her body as she sorted through the 75 unread emails that filled her account. Most were stupid jokes, chain letters or coupons she would never use. One was from a cousin she couldn't stand, and another from her mother. Both could wait. As could the one from Greg. No doubt it was another list of why they should cohabitate. How did she get him to understand that she liked her space? That she had meant it when she said she wasn't into the whole marriage thing? She'd tried that once. Right out of high school she had married her high school sweetheart. Their marriage had lasted a total of four years. Long enough for her to play housewife while her parents helped him go to college. The moment that diploma was in his hand he'd slapped divorce papers in her's. She'd been left with all the bills to an apartment she couldn't afford and a lesson in how not to get her heart broken again.

"Sorry Greg, you're a nice guy, but I prefer taking care of myself," she muttered as she moved the email into a folder marked Greg. Out of sight, out of mind. At least for the moment. Instead, she focused on the message from myvideos alerting her to the fact that one of her subscriptions had uploaded a new video. Perfect! She only had two subscriptions. One to an Korean lawyer who vlogged about sticking it to people…legally of course. The other to a blonde chick who knew how to do just about everything. Either would get her mind off how to let Greg down gently. Score! Both had updated. She opted for the lawyer first. She could use some snark.

"_The topic this week is co-habitation." The saccharine sweetness of her voice, paired with the small smile gracing her cherry red lips, was enough to make a person sit up and take notice. Yang, of Hunt, Bailey, and Yang, was a force to be reckoned with. Her little vlog had started six months ago as a creative way of reaching new clients. To date it had brought in four divorces, two wills, a custodial suit, and several pre-nuptial agreements. _

"Maybe I should have gone with the howtogirl." Caitlyn bit back a sigh, her fingers hovering over the mouse. There was no point in listening to a topic she had no interest in. Except, maybe Ms. Yang would shed some light on how to talk Greg out living together. Her hand fell limply into her lap as she sat back to enjoy. Fifteen minutes later she was left reeling. Yang had armed her with information on how to get Greg to back down from living together, but she had also given Caitlyn plenty to think about. Relationships were meant for growth. Either a couple grew closer or they grew apart. The idea was a daunting one. She wasn't sure she was ready for more but she wasn't sure she was ready to lose Greg either.

"I really should have gone with the howtogirl." With trembling fingers, Caitlyn clicked over to the other vlog. Hopefully Izzie would have something fun to cheer her up. Fun or a comfort food recipe.

"_I've decided to do something different today. Partially because I don't have anything planned and partially because I like trying new things." She smiled and reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. It was shorter than it had been in previous vlogs, but definitely flattering. "Today I'm going to answer some of the frequently asked questions you guys email me. In order to keep things fun and save you from having to just stare at me sitting in a chair I've asked my friends Callie, Meredith, and Lexie to help!" The focus shifted from her to a cream colored sofa where there women sat, wearing identical, too bright smiles. "I promise they're not as scary as their smiles," Izzie joked when the focus was once again on her. "So…first question?" _

Caitlyn let out a sigh and settled back in her desk chair. Nothing interesting. Just tips on using salt to dry up spills and prevent stains, or baking soda as a natural abrasive cleaner. Helpful hints that would probably make a killer book. Maybe she would send an email suggesting that. In the meantime, she needed a distraction. Something to get the whole moving in with Greg debacle off her mind. Then it happened. The too skinny blonde sitting on the couch asked how things were going between her brother and Izzie now that they were living together.

"_I…uh…good." Izzie's cheeks turned a brilliant red. "Things are good. They're really good. We've worked out the initial bugs of two people living together and now we're working on getting the nursery put together." _

"_So," the slimmer of the two brunettes smiled secretively, "does that mean you know what colors to decorate the nursery in? I only ask because your shower is next week and I would love to know if I am buying for a niece or nephew." _

"_We'll discuss that later." The stuttering was cute. Mostly because Izzie never stuttered. Clearly the sex of the baby was something she wasn't comfortable talking about. _

"_Fine. I'm holding you to that. So, I accidentally washed my hot pink lipgloss with a load of whites. Am I screwed or is there hope?" _

Chewing the inside of her cheek, Caitlyn drummed her fingers against her upper thigh. Yang had suggested that a relationship was meant to grow: either closer or apart. And Izzie made living together seem fine once you grew accustomed to having another person around. That was all well and good but…how did she protect her heart? "Maybe one of them will have something in their next vlog," she muttered before rising from her desk chair. The internet wasn't distracting her. Time to cook. Or maybe time to call Greg for a little heart to heart on which way their relationship was growing.


	9. Chapter Eight

Author's Note: I know you guys are not to fond of the vlog chapters. They do contain important information though! Like the last one: You learned Cristina vlogs too and that Alex and Izzie are hiding something about the pregnancy. No fear, you learn that secret this chapter! I think you will enjoy their little secret, along with how things progress in this chapter. 

_Chapter Seven_

_How To: Deal With Putting Your Foot In Your Mouth _

Being the nice guy had never been something Alex Karev could be accused of. Asshole. Jerk. Bastard. Those were a few verbs he was accustomed to. Nice guy? Definitely not anywhere in the mix. Every once in a while he would do a good deed, just to keep his sisters off his back. None of those good deeds had turned his life upside down the way trying to help his sister and her wife have a kid had. For the most part he was over the sperm switch. It had happened and there was nothing that could be done about it. He had even accepted that he was going to be a dad, not an uncle. In a way, he was actually looking forward to being a dad. Little versions of himself he could hang out with; do all the things with that he'd wanted his own father to do with him. All in all, the sperm switch had turned out well. Except for one not so minor detail: Izzie.

He had tried keeping things on a friendly level. Two people working out a parenting plan that benefited everyone. He had figured they could be friends. Maybe even best friends. She was fun to be around and made him laugh. Not many people, let alone women, could do that. It was all Arizona's fault that the friendship plan was no more. His well intended twin had planted the idea of Izzie as something more and it refused to leave. It was that little seed that had prompted him to invite Izzie to stay with him while she figured out how to handle the situation with her parents. Watching her world dissolve in matter of seconds had been hard. Just as hard was learning that his new boss was the secret father of the woman carrying his child. His life was starting to feel like a damn soap opera.

"Honey, I'm home," he joked under his breath as he let himself in through the side door. Instantly his nostrils were assailed with the scent of meatloaf, bread, and something buttery. His mouth started to water. Soap opera drama aside, he loved coming home to a hot dinner that hadn't been ordered in, heated up, or brought over by a sister. "Smells good" he said by way of a greeting as he entered the kitchen.

"Thanks," Izzie beamed over her shoulder, before turning her attention back to whatever she was rinsing off in the sink. "Give me a sec and we'll eat."

Dinner was starting to become a routine. He would come in from work and she would have some amazing meal prepared. They would sit down together, discuss how their days had gone and then inch into talk about the future. It was nice. Almost like they were a real couple. He teeter tottered on the couple bit. He had never been in a serious relationship before. And that was what it would have to be with Izzie. Serious. They were going to be parents together. It wouldn't be just them. That should have convinced him that a relationship would be bad; instead it did the opposite.

"Callie and your younger sisters helped me with my vlog today." The revelation cut through the little, cozy day dream Alex had been basking in. He mumbled something unintelligible as he carried both plates of food to the dining room table. "They were suppose to be helping me by asking some of the frequent questions I get emailed only they turned it on me and wanted to know how living together was going and did we know the sex of the baby."

Alex set the plates down and stood there. It didn't surprise him that his sisters would quiz Izzie up. Sticking their noses in where they didn't belong was what they did best. It was a little unnerving knowing they had done it on Izzie's vlog for all the world to see though. "Oh yeah," was all he could think of to say. Not his finest response but it would do.

"Yeah." Flipping back an errant lock of hair, she took what he was starting to think of as her seat. It was across from the one he usually sat in. "I kept things vague. Told them everything was great as far as living together went but I would have to get back to them on that other question." She folded her hands in her lap and waited. It was obvious that she wanted him to tell her how to handle his family and their questions about the pregnancy. He couldn't. Not when he wasn't sure how to answer. How did one go about telling their family that they were having not one, but two babies? Izzie had freaked a little. Him…not so much. Nothing surprised him anymore. Besides, two babies could be a lot of fun. Several of his coworkers had twins and seemed to enjoy it.

"Guess we'll have to tell them at some point. They're bound to notice us bringing home an extra baby." The joke brought a soft chuckle to his lips and a full blown grin to Izzie's. Two babies. Yet more reason for them to think about being something more. They owed it to the babies. Looking down at the plate of food before him, he went over the various ways he could bring the subject up. So far nothing sounded right. He needed to find the right words. If he didn't, if he said something wrong, everything would crash around him.

"My mom called today," Izzie said softly, the little revelation breaking the otherwise comfortable silence. "I didn't answer, which is kind of cowardly of me but I'm not ready to deal with her. Or…_him_." It didn't take a genius to figure out which "him" she was referring to. Her father. The hatred she seemed to harbor for the man was something Alex understood all to well. He despised Michael Karev. The man had abandoned his family for selfish reasons. Alex wanted to group Derek Shepherd into the same mold as his father but he couldn't. Something stopped him. Maybe it was how young Shepherd had been. Maybe it was the fact that the man now seemed contrite and wanted to know his daughter. Or maybe it was easier to be logical because it wasn't his father. Whatever it was, Alex wasn't convinced that Shepherd was an evil, child abandoning asshole like Michael Karev.

"You'll talk to them when you're ready." Of course there was the possibility that she might never be ready to talk to them. Alex knew he would never be "ready" to talk to Michael Karev. If the opportunity ever presented itself he would be more likely to slam his fist into the bastard's face than listen to anything he had to say.

Izzie nodded, uncertainty still stamped across her features. "I guess," she mumbled around a bite of potatoes. A bit of gravy clung to the corner of her mouth. Without thinking, Alex reached across the table to wipe it away. He meant to move his hand away but instead found himself cupping her cheek. Her skin was soft, like satin. He couldn't help but wonder if _all_ her skin was that soft. Oh how he wanted to know. To explore every inch of her, to discover if the cashmere softness of her face was the result of some beauty aide or if she was just soft. "Alex." His name was a gentle whisper on her lips. If not for the table between them he was certain he would have kissed her. She would have let him, he could see the desire burning in her eyes. Good. It meant she wanted him just as much as he wanted her, which meant she would be open to at least discussing the possibility of something other than the friendship they had built.

"We should talk," he murmured, reluctantly dropping his hand. It shouldn't be so difficult, Alex thought with a sigh when she nodded her agreement. He was a doctor. He had uncomfortable talks with people all the time. One would think if he could tell people that their two year old child was dying of cancer, he could talk to a woman about embarking on a serious relationship. Horror stricken parents seemed safer some how. Less damage to his heart.

"We should talk," Izzie repeated, her voice shaking as much as the fingers that reached up to play with a stray lock of her hair. She looked so uncertain, so fragile, he almost said forget it. He couldn't though. The stakes were too high.

Inhaling deeply, he went for it. He laid it all out there. Every last lecherous thought, mixed emotion, and uncertainty. Like a broken pipe gushing water, the words kept coming. When his brain told him to shut up, to stop telling her Arizona thought they were perfect for one another, his tongue kept spilling forth details that were probably best left unsaid. Leaving things unsaid wasn't his style though. Best to have it all out and then go from there. When he was done, when everything he had been keeping bottled up inside since meeting here had been spoken, he sat back. Waiting.

"What if we try and fail?" The whispered response was not unexpected. Nor was it anything Alex hadn't thought of himself.

"What if we try and make it?" The optimism in his come back had been channeled from his ever optimistic twin, Arizona. Generally speaking he was not the nice guy who encouraged others. His childhood, as well as his profession, had put up a hardened shell that had seemed impenetrable. Until her. From the first moment he laid eyes on Izzie, Alex knew she would creep through any cracks he might have. He had known they were meant to be something more than friends or co-parents. Admitting it had taken him longer but, hey, he was a guy. Guys were notorious for dragging their feet. He was declaring himself now and that was what mattered. "We have to at least try."

"We do?" A smidgeon of hope was mixed in with her doubt. She wanted it just as badly as he did. The attraction wasn't strictly physical. If it had been he would have bargained with her for one night. He would have used the excuse of having a one night stand so they wouldn't have to lie to anyone. The hunger he had seen in her eyes had given him reason to think it wouldn't have taken much persuading. What he felt wasn't just physical though. He liked her. Really, really liked her. They could talk, hang out, or just be quiet in the same room. It didn't make much difference. And that was the kind of woman you married.

"We do." His tone left little room for doubt. Why would it? He was sure of how he felt. Did he love her? Maybe. Love was a fickle thing and not the best basis for a relationship. Respect and friendship, mixed with lust, were perfect though. "Think about it. We know we can live together and get along fine. We like a lot of the same things. Remember the first time we met? We ordered the same food. And, let's face it, if we had met under different circumstances, we would have been naked by now."

A burst of laughter erupted from Izzie. She shook her head, loose blonde waves teasing against her cheek. There was no dispute against what he said. Only a thoughtful mask softening her features. "I'm not good at relationships," she started slowly, her voice trembling a little. "In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm cursed. My first boyfriend took me to prom, slept with me, and then discovered that he liked my best friend better. Then there's George. He wasn't gay when I met him. I think…I think I made him gay. You know, because I'm that awful in bed."

What she was saying was almost laughable. A woman couldn't make a man turn gay, no matter how awful she was in the sack. A guy was either straight or he wasn't. Didn't matter how many women the guy had been with before, if he was gay eventually it would come out. Unfortunately there was always someone who ended up hurt. Thankfully Arizona had always known and their mother had fostered a sense of assurance in all her children. He had seen it with friends though. Struggling to be someone they weren't and dragging others down their self-destructive road. "You didn't make George gay, Iz. He was gay long before you met him. Sucks that he discovered it while he was with you but that doesn't mean you had anything to do with it."

"He discovered it while we were naked and in bed together," she bit out in a low voice. "Just like Denny realized he loved Olivia while we were in bed together. I'm…I'm just not good in that department. Which is why I chose to get pregnant using a donor."

"Know what I think? I think you just had bad taste in men and they were the ones with a problem." The problem with George was obvious. He wanted to be on the receiving end. Denny was pretty obvious too. The guy had been a teenage douche bag. Alex couldn't blame the guy, not when he had done the same thing numerous times. Which made him think, had he ever made some woman feel the way Izzie was feeling? Had his actions ever made someone feel like they were lacking? God he hoped not.

"I guess," Izzie muttered, doubt still clouding her voice. It was clear that the only thing holding her back was fear of bad sex. Nothing he said would change her mind. Which left showing her. No problem. He could do that. Would enjoy doing that. "Where are you going?" she asked when he rose from his seat. He didn't respond, just simply walked around to her side of the table and sat in the empty chair next to her's. "Oh," she breathed, her dark eyes widening as he reached out to grab her. Only a small protest squeaked pass her lips as he pulled her from her chair and onto his lap. Her face was a mere inch from his, her legs straddling either side of his waist. "This is a bad idea."

"Doesn't feel like a bad idea," Alex teased, threading his fingers into her silky hair. He tilted her head just enough to the side to allow for a kiss. It felt like heaven, tasted even sweeter. Why the hell hadn't they done this sooner? They had both wanted to. Even while she had been rambling about how awful she was in bed, there had been lust in Izzie's eyes. The deep rooted kind of lust that didn't fade. He knew because it was the same lust that coursed through his blood every time he thought about her. Most of his thoughts had centered on the act of getting her pregnant the old fashioned way. A tiny thrill shot through him as he slowly ran his hands down the sides of her body, settling on her small, rounded stomach. It amazed him that nestled in there was not one, but two babies. His babies. How they had come about seemed like a distant memory; one that belonged to someone else. Those babies, along with the woman in his arms, were his future. He was sure of that now. Any doubts he might have felt had fled the moment their lips met. Arizona was right. When you met the right person you just knew. And he knew. Izzie was right. Oh, so right.


	10. Chapter Nine

_Author's Note: Determining how a story will start and end isn't as difficult as determining how to get from one point to the other. You have to keep things balanced. A rushed story is disappointing and a dragged out story boring. Finding the perfect balance is ridiculously hard. At least it is for me. I tend to grow attached to certain story lines and hate leaving them, while others lose my interest and beg for quick wrap ups. This story is one I am attached to and leaving it will be hard. It is time though. Not to end it, but to start working toward that. It will not be an easy process for me. I am really attached to this story! It is unlike anything I have ever written or read for that matter. It is pretty darn original if you ask me! (Thank you again to my dear friend/sister Tatiana for helping develop the idea) I hope all of you feel the same! I know reviews have been limited and I realize that is in part my fault. I hope you will forgive my lack of updating and continue to read this story and to take a peek at my new one! You will find that Leave Out All The Rest is a bit sad but does contain a happy ending. At least it does if you are an Alex/Izzie, Meredith/Derek, and Mark/Lexie fan. Give it a chance. Let me know your thoughts! _

Chapter Nine

_How To: Make a Home_

Twirling a lock of curly auburn hair, thirteen year old Sadie Price tried to tune out her father's excited voice. She didn't want to hear about his upcoming marriage or how they would be buying a new house. Marriage was a joke. Two people together forever? Whatever! Almost every kid in her class came from a broken home. Her own parents had divorced when she was two. All because her mother had grown tired of playing house. As for buying a new house, Sadie liked the one they lived in. She had grown up there. It was the only home she knew. Just because her dad thought he needed to marry that silly blonde bank teller didn't mean Sadie had to leave her home. Why couldn't Heather move in with them?

"…was thinking we would find some place with a pool. Wouldn't that be fun? Having a pool in the back yard?" Sadie grunted, knowing she had to make some sort of noise or her father would demand to know if she was listening or not. "Heather says quite a few are being foreclosed on right now. Don't get me wrong, I feel awful that people are losing their homes but someone has to buy them and why not us?"

Sadie could list a million reasons why it shouldn't be them. It wouldn't do her any good though. Her father and his child bride Heather wanted a home of their own. Fine. Let them have it. Let Sadie keep her childhood home though. "I have homework," Sadie lied, needing to get away from the planning and musings. Her father's animated expression fell and he slowly nodded his head. Guilt nagged at her stomach. For as long as she could remember her father had been serious. Work and Sadie had been his only thoughts. And then he met Heather. Cute, funny Heather with her sassy cap of blonde hair and sky blue eyes. Almost instantly his thoughts had shifted from work and Sadie, to Sadie and Heather. A little family unit, at least in his eyes. Not in Sadie's. Heather was only twenty four, too young to be her mother and too old to be her sister.

Still smarting over the fact that they would be moving after the wedding, Sadie flopped backwards onto her bed. She had no sooner closed her eyes when someone tapped on her door. "Go away," she muttered, knowing saying it louder was useless. "Enter."

Heather stepped inside. Adorable Heather with her perfect, straight blonde hair and tanned skin. A far cry from curly headed, pasty skinned Sadie. "I thought we could use a little bonding time!"

Don't think, the teen thought hatefully. She despised spending time with her soon to be step-mother. They had nothing in common and never would. "Not interested. I have homework."

"Yeah. I can see how busy you are with that," Heather teased, settling in next to the younger, taller woman. Telling her to go would do no good. Sadie had tried that before. Heather had countered with a speech about how she had tried the same ploy with her step-mother. It hadn't worked then, and it wasn't going to work now. "So, I have this vlog I keep up with on myvideos. The chick who posts does all these neat little projects. And since I know how much you like creating things I figured you would get a kick of it."

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Sadie let Heather pull up whatever stupid vlog she wanted to share. Taylor Lautner could be dancing shirtless and Sadie still wouldn't like it. She was determined to hate what Heather liked, and like what Heather hated. It seemed to work out well for her friends, so why not her too? Guilt went a long way in getting what she wanted. And there was plenty of things she could make her father and his bride feel guilty about. "How long is this thing? I'm suppose to meet Jada at the mall." Not entirely true. She had no plans but she knew if she text her best friend would meet her in a heart beat.

"Not long. Does your father know you have plans?" Heather studied her intently, as though waiting for some sign that Sadie was lying. She wouldn't find any. Sadie had perfected a blank stare by the time she was four. "I'm going to take that as a no. I feel that I should warn you he has an appointment with a realtor so we can tour some houses. He's going to want you to come along."

Perfect. Just perfect. More unwanted time with her soon to be unwanted step-mother. She should get use to it, she supposed. Only she didn't want to! All she wanted was for things to go back the way they were before. Just her and her daddy. "Fine," she snapped. "I'll reschedule my plans."

"I really appreciate that," was the calm, soothing reply she got. It took all her effort not to scream. Instead, she crossed her arms and turned her attention to the vlog Heather had pulled up. A pretty, pregnant blond sat in a pile of ribbon. A stab of jealousy shot through Sadie. Her secret obsession was making bows. Big bows. Little bows. Bows in between. She made them all. And until Heather came along and urged her father to put her on an allowance she had been able to buy as much ribbon as she wanted. Now she had to scrimp and save to get the good stuff.

"_Good morning my fellow crafters! I know its been a while since I've posted but life has been hectic. We learned that we're having twins. They're not identical but they're both girls. Which is why I'm covered in a mountain of ribbon!" A bright smile lit up her face as she picked up several different colors of ribbon. Hot pink with lime green polka dots. Pale yellow with white stars. Dark purple with what looked like strands of silver shot through it. White with little pink poodles dancing in tutus. All primo ribbon that cost a pretty penny. "When we first learned we were having girls I became one of those crazy bow mamas. You know, the kind that thinks the bigger the bow, the better the mama! I went a little crazy until I started thinking about all the ribbon I have left over from other projects. Suddenly those twenty dollar bows I just had to have seemed like a waste of money." She let the ribbon drop and then reached up with her left hand to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. A giant marquis cut diamond ring caught in the lights above her. _

"Score! I knew they would eventually get engaged!" Heather cried, her face lighting up as she scooted to look at Sadie. "Her and the babies daddy were kinda up in the air but I knew…I just knew…they were going to work through things!"

Raising one brow, Sadie stared at Heather, wondering if the woman had lost her mind. Heather must have sensed her judgment because she launched into a lengthy explanation of how Izzie, the girl in the video, and the father hadn't been a real couple when Izzie got pregnant. Everyone who watched the vlog knew they would get together though. The way Izzie's face lit up when she talked about him made it clear that it was only a matter of time before things got serious. "And that diamond is definitely serious! Did you see the size! It's like a stinking golf ball or something!"

"Definitely some major blingage," Sadie agreed. She groaned inwardly. Had she seriously just agreed with Heather?

"…_so I figured I would teach myself how to make a bow._ _I figured it couldn't be very hard since some of my former co-workers daughters are into making them. Boy was I wrong!" A light hearted laugh filled the air she shook her head and rolled her eyes at her own ignorance. "Needless to say, I will not be mastering fancy over the top bows anytime soon. I have gotten pretty good at the basic ones though." Instead of ribbon, she reached down and pulled up several medium sized bows. They were perfectly formed and had rhinestone detailing in the centers. "As you can see, I dressed them up with some fancy buttons. Hey, a girl has to have her bling, right?" Her gaze dropped down to her ring. Her smile grew bigger as she raised her hand and intentionally flashed the ring toward the camera. "I know some of you have caught the ring and are dying to know…so I won't keep you in suspense. I'm getting married! Planning the wedding is one of the reasons I have been absent. The other is I have been spending time with my biological father." Her excited voice seemed to grow more serious, as did her face. Gone was the brilliant smile. In its place was a stoic expression. "Not many of you know this, but my parents were rather young when I was born. My mom was only fifteen and my dad was eighteen. Just kids, really. Its taken me a long time to understand why my dad chose college over standing by my father but I think I've reached a point where I get it. He was a scared kid who wanted to pretend that he didn't have to become an adult. I think his choice will always keep us from being truly close but I am on my way to forgiving him. Not so much for abandoning me, but for leaving my mother." Her stoic expression softened and she rested her hands on her belly. "We haven't always gotten along but I admire the hell out of my mom! Not many fifteen year old girls would sacrifice their teenage years to raise a baby. She did. She worked hard to put herself through college and to give me a good life. I can only hope I'm half the mother she was." _

An odd quiet filled Sadie's room. Her life was so different from the one being described but she understood being abandoned by one parent and being raised by the other. She had never stopped to think about how hard it had to be for her dad. The things he had given up so she could have a decent life. He had never asked for or expected anything in return. Except that you get along with Heather, she thought sadly. Her gaze shifted from the vlog to Heather. The petite blonde caught her gaze and smiled. She felt herself smiling back. Maybe, just maybe, for her dad's sake, she could get along with Heather. If anyone deserved to be happy it was her dad.


	11. Chapter 11

_Author's Note: One of the hardest things to do is decide when to end a story. You worry whether you are ending it too soon and you worry that you are dragging it out. Finding that perfect balance is exasperating. I put a lot of thought into the decision of whether or not this would be the last chapter for this story. Over and over again I went through the various paths I could take. It all came back to this story has run its course. When I started it, I had this grand idea of how I wanted it to go. For the most part it has gone according to plan. What isn't according to plan is the length. I was never sure how many chapters I wanted to write or how long each chapter would be. The rest of this story can be summed up in one final chapter. I debated on whether or not I wanted to do something from Izzie's POV, Alex's POV, or a vlog point of view. The vlog won. I did something a little different this time with the vlog. Instead of being from just one vlog fan's point of view, I wrote it from the points of view of all the characters who ever watched her vlog in this story. This way not only are you learning how Izzie's life ended, you are learning how their lives ended as well. I realize some of you don't care about those characters but quite a few of you seemed to. It is for you this chapter has been written! I hope all of you enjoy! _

Chapter Eleven

_How To: Have A Happy Ending_

A blast of cold air propelled Rebecca through her front door. Dropping the brightly wrapped packages she had been carrying, she called out a cheery "I'm home," and waited. Sure enough, the sound of feet pounding against carpet followed. Seconds later her seven year daughter launched herself into her waiting arms. Closing her eyes, she cuddle the girl close. It was impossible to think about life without Laurel. And John, she thought with a smile as her husband leaned appeared in the doorway that led to the living room. He had re-entered her life three weeks before she was due to give birth. At first she hadn't wanted to forgive him for leaving her. His persistent apologies and promises to never leave again had won her over and when their daughter was two months old they were married. She had yet to regret it.

"You almost missed it," Laurel chided when her mother set her down. There was no need to ask what 'it' was. Rebecca already knew. The how to vlog had become an overnight sensation and local television station had sweet talked the how to girl into being a part of their morning show. It had started out as a guest appearance once a week and slowly progressed into fifteen minutes every week day morning, with hour long specials during the holidays. With Christmas almost upon them the _How To Have A Perfect Christmas _special was due to air. "Come on! It's gonna start! We gotta learn how to make this years Christmas cookie!"

Laughing at her daughter's excitement, Rebecca followed her daughter and husband into their small, but cozy living room. The duplex they called home was a far cry from the run down apartment she had lived in while pregnant. The decorating could still be credited back to Izzie though. There were a lot of things Rebecca felt she could credit back to the stranger who smiled at her from the television screen.

_With her lips stretched into a thousand watt smile, Izzie sat on the edge of an over-sized leather sofa. The glow on her face had nothing to do with strategically placed lighting or expensive make up and everything to do with the gentle swell of her pregnant belly. "I want to start by welcoming all of you into my home and thanking you for joining me this holiday season. As most of you know I have a rather large extended family and cooking for that many people can be a challenge. Luckily, I can always count on help from my sisters in law." _

_Right on cue the familiar faces of Meredith, Lexie, Arizona, and Callie appeared. Each had become regular fixtures and, like Izzie, shared important details of their lives. Meredith's wedding to a local firefighter named Mark Sloan had been used to teach brides to be how to save money by making their own decorations. Arizona and Callie's son Wilson being born with severe food allergies had resulted in a whole segment on how to make baby food. Then there was the 4th__ of July special where Lexie's boyfriend Jackson proposed to her, live on the air. And nobody would ever forget the Thanksgiving special where Meredith went into labor with her son Garrett. It had become tradition to expect some sort of surprise from Izzie's family. _

"_Typically we start planning Christmas during Thanksgiving dinner," Izzie went on once her sisters in law had seated themselves, two on each side of her. _

"_Usually while the guys are watching football," Callie added. _

Planning Christmas dinner while the men watched football. The idea was genius and one Bia fully planned on using. Typically she hid out in the kitchen, either washing dishes or eating an extra slice of pie, while her husband and son cheered for their favorite football team. Her poor daughter in law tried cheering with them but half-way through usually ended up in the kitchen with Bia. By passing the games altogether and focusing on the upcoming season would save them both a headache.

"I'm all for planning Christmas instead of watching a bunch of grown men wrestle over a stupid ball," Haley announced as she gracefully lowered herself into the corner of the same sofa Bia was seated on. The story of how Haley had become her daughter in law was bittersweet. The younger woman had come as a guest while her fiance was overseas. She had said little about the man she was to marry, just that his name was Brian and he had wanted her to spend the time he was at war at the bed and breakfast. Not once had Bia made the connection between the deployed solider and the son that had run away from home after a bitter fight with his father. Imagine her surprise when Haley's Brian turned out to be her Brian as well. The reunion had been nothing short of a miracle. A lot of tears and apologies, as well as promises to never leave one another again.

"_Don't you mean while the guys watch football and we take turns fetching their beer and snacks," interjected Meredith. All the other women laughed and agreed. That was pretty much how it went. They joked around a bit more before moving on to Christmas cookies. _

_"We all have our favorites, which means there are about ten different kinds of cookies every year. Thankfully cookie dough is one of those things you can make ahead of time and freeze. I like to go ahead and form a log before freezing so I can just cut off portions for baking." Izzie held up a log of what appeared to be sugar cookie dough that had been vacuum sealed. _

_"I, however, like to just throw the dough in a freezer bag." Holding up a bag of chocolate chip cookie dough Meredith let out a laugh. _

Twisting her wedding ring around her finger, Caitlyn chewed the inside of her cheek. Freezing the cookie dough wasn't a bad idea. It would certainly cut down on the amount of time she spent in the kitchen in the days before Christmas. Cookies were her responsibility and had been for six years. It was the one thing her mother in law could trust her to cook without burning. No matter how many shows she watched or how hard she tried, Caitlyn was a disaster in the kitchen. Except for cookies. Her cookies turned out perfect each time. The only problem was it took forever to make them. If she made the dough ahead of time and froze it though...

"I can practically see the wheels in your head turning," her husband joked as he handed her a plate full of pasta and red sauce. She beamed her appreciation and wondered, not for the first time, why she thought getting serious with Greg was such a bad idea. They laughed about it now, but at the time she had been terrified. Her first marriage had left a sour taste in her mouth. Thank God Greg had been patient and stood by her side while she worked through her issues.

"Just thinking...if I make the dough ahead of time and freeze it that will cut down on about seventy five percent of the time." Caitlyn set her plate on the coffee table before snuggling close to Greg's side. "Which means more time for you!"

"Hm," he murmured. "I think I like that plan." Caitlyn couldn't agree more. If there was one thing she had learned from watching the How To Girl it was that family was important. Izzie's sisters in law were not the only family members to appear on a regular basis. At least one of the four Karev kids made an appearance every show. And occasionally Izzie's husband Alex or her best friend George would drop in. Family was everything. That seemed to be the how to girl's mantra and it was quickly becoming Caitlyn's too.

_The show seemed to cover everything. Cookies to wrapping gifts to how to tell if the turkey was finished. There was even a funny segment on why George and Alex were no longer allowed to deep fry the turkey. It wasn't just a show about "how to" make things it was a show about family. _

Pushing a loose lock of hair from her face, Sadie resisted the urge to sigh. Christmas was her favorite time of year. It meant coming home to her father, step-mother, and three year old half-sister Abby. She couldn't imagine life without them. They were that much a part of her. Why she had ever disliked Heather, she couldn't recall. Probably some childish reason, she thought with a silent laugh. Whatever the reason it was no longer important. Heather wasn't just her step-mother, she was Sadie's best friend. The person she went to for advice and the person she could count on to have her back.

"You're awfully quiet," Heather mused. Sadie smiled. Leave it to Heather to notice.

"I know," Sadie smiled. She laid her head against her step-mother's shoulder and let out another content sigh. SHe would wait until the How To Girl's Christmas special was over and then she would tell them about Billy asking her to marry him.

_There was at least twenty people crammed around the large Christmas tree that stood in the entry of the Karev house. Ellis. Meredith and Mark, with their son Garrett. Lexie and Jackson, with their new daughter Juliette. George, Arizona, Callie, and their three kids; Destiny, Nelson, and Willa. izzie's parents Addison and Derek were there too, along with Izzie's four year old sister Brenna. Even Cristina was spotted lurking in the corner with her on again, off again boyfriend Owen. And, of course, there were the Karevs. Alex. Izzie. Their seven year old twins Ella and Emma. Four year old Ethan. The newest addition, a little girl they planned on naming Elizabeth, would be joining them later that night but for the moment she was still nestled in her mother's womb. The picture they all presented, beaming smiles and well wishes, gave credit to their mantra: family was everything..._


End file.
